On paper, at least, it must have looked so straightforward. Vladimir Putin wanted to fix a presidential election to show the world that ordinary Russians love and admire him and support his war in Ukraine.
With total domination of the media, which pumps out hardcore pro-Kremlin propaganda, complete control of the central election committee, which cancels Putin’s opponents, and a well-oiled vote-rigging machine, surely nothing could go wrong.
Except it did, spectacularly.
Putin was humiliated and outfoxed by his opponents in an empowering and subtle nationwide protest that reminded suppressed Russians opposed to his authoritarian rule that they are not alone.
“It was just wonderful,” one person in Russia who attended one of the Noon Against Putin protests told me.
Putin’s opponents turned his election against him by calling for silent flash mobs at midday on Sunday at polling stations across the country – the very places where the Kremlin wanted people to show their fealty by voting for the regime.
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